Foldable bottle basket



April 9, 1946. A. E. sTRUENsEE FoLDABLE BOTTLE BASKET" Filed March 29, 1944 @mam/O2] f7/fn' @S/Mme' `-y//V 'r Patented Apr. 9, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE BOTTLE BASKET Arthur E. Struensee, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Application March 29, 1944, Serial No. 528,511

1 Claim.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, durable and convenient collapsible basket particularly adapted for carrying a group of bottles from the point of purchase to residences. The baskets being arranged with joints capable of permitting the same to be folded flatly either by a horizontal movement or a vertical movement.

With the above and other minor objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth with reference-to the accompanying drawing and subsequently claimed.

In the drawing:

The single iigure represents a perspective view of a skeleton basket embodying the features of my invention.

` Referring by characters to the drawing, A-A indicates complementary skeleton side frames having upper and lower horizontally disposed rods l-I, the same being formed from wire composed either of metal, plastic or other suitable material. The upper and lower rods terminate with aligned eyes 2-2 and said rods are connected by cross braces 3 3.

The ends of the basket comprise upper and lowerhorizontally disposed eyed rods 4-,42 These end rods are braced and connected by v ertical legs 5 5, which legs extend above the rods 4 4 and are crossed at their upper ends to form bail loops 6-6.

As shown, the lower ends of the legs 5-5 may be bowed downwardly to form supporting feet for the basket.

The upper looped ends of the legs, which form bails, are connected by a horizontally disposed handle rod 1, having looped ends l' which engage the loops 6, whereby a hinge joint is formed to permit a folding operation.

One of the lower side rods I is permanently connected to a bottom plate 8, one side of which is curled about the rod l to form a hinge joint 9. The opposite edge of the bottom plate is provided with a folded down extension lip 9 which snaps over the adjacent bottom rod I, and due to the spring in the lip a tight snap joint is effected. It being understood that the oiiset hinge portions 9 and lip 9' are of less length than the bottom plate to permit clearance of the corners or hinge joints.

The drawing illustrates the basket in its open position for receiving a group of bottles and in this open position the foldable parts are securely locked due to the hinge and lip connection between the bottom plate and lower rods I-l.

As partly indicated in dotted lines, when it is desired to collapse or fold the basket, the bottom is swung upwardly upon its hinge to a vertical position engaging the upper rod l above the hinge and thereafter the skeleton basket unit may be folded upon the corner or hinge connections adjacent the edges of the bottom plate, the said fold being effected either to the right or the left, whereby the entire basket will assume a flattened and compact shape for convenience in shipment or storage.

While I have shown a solid bottom plate, it is manifest that for said plate I may substitute a skeleton wire bottom.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

A collapsible basket comprising upper and lower side rods terminating with eyes, braces connecting the side rods, upper and lower end rods terminating with eyesengaging the eyes of the side rods, braces connecting the pairs of end rods, said braces being extended above said end rods to form bails terminating with loops, a handle rod having eyes engaging the loops, and a bottom plate having an edge extension folded over one of the side bars, the opposite edge being provided with a downturned spring lip for engaging the opposite sidebar whereby the basket is locked in its open position.

ARTHUR E. STRUENSEE. 

